-image vs background downloading

bilateralrope

bilateralrope

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2005

New Zealand

Xen Of Onslaught (Xen of the Pacific division)

Lets say I just installed guild wars from CD and still have a lot of files to download but I've made it to the login screen. Is there any real difference to using the -image command or just leaving guild wars to download stuff in the background at the login screen ?

I have noticed that both will max out my connection and that background downloading will let you play guild wars while its happening.

Yanman.be

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

A/

Background downloading may not have downloaded areas where you might come . So you might have to wait a while to get in the area. If you're a PvP'er, I strongly advise -image. It has no cons, except for the time it takes for you to not-play GW. Also -image will make GW load faster than BG downloading, creating a better overal game experience.

Exoudeous

Exoudeous

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Mar 2006

Honor Warriors

E/

-image downloads everything, background downloading only adds what you need, and you need to still download new maps as you enter them

Kuldebar Valiturus

Kuldebar Valiturus

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2006

Garden City, Idaho

The Order of Relumination (TOoR)

R/

-image > background updating

Mainly because background updates will generally bog your game down and contribute to lag as well as making you wait longer at load screens.

I am sure some lucky bastard will come back and say that their highspeed/bandwidth connection precludes that situation, but for the rest of us on the planet we usually prefer to have our game fully updated before serious play.

Just run a -image when there is a need to get your game up to speed.

Longasc

Longasc

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

It also decompresses the downloaded data. GW runs so much smoother with everything decompressed right from the start.

It takes some time the first time you use -image, but after that it really saves you a lot of time ingame and for future updates.

Zanhir Mitharis

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Deaths Heroes

E/Me

so how does one use this command? Im having lag problems as well, i used the power defrag with that contig file, same lag though, and i use the client now not the cd install

Kuldebar Valiturus

Kuldebar Valiturus

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2006

Garden City, Idaho

The Order of Relumination (TOoR)

R/

Edit the game shortcut on your desktop with the -image switch like so:

"C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -image

Again, use this only to fully update your game, not every time you play.

Zanhir Mitharis

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Deaths Heroes

E/Me

so what your saying is do, this once only to update then remove the -image command

Kuldebar Valiturus

Kuldebar Valiturus

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2006

Garden City, Idaho

The Order of Relumination (TOoR)

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanhir Mitharis
so what your saying is do, this once only to update then remove the -image command
Correct. See quote below.


Quote:
-image

Guild Wars client is designed to download the streaming updates in the background or when needed, in a way that will not much interfere with the user. This, however means that when a large-scale update is released, users may be required to wait while necessary files are downloaded and decompressed upon entering a new zone. With this switch, you can force the client to download and decompress all the pending updates on start up so you will not have to wait while entering a new area or mission.



The client, when started with this switch, will exit immediately after it is finished with the download and decompression. Do not use this switch in your regular game shortcut. Either use this switch from a command prompt when necessary or make a new shortcut and name it something like "Update Game".

Lonesamurai

Lonesamurai

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Apr 2006

Cheltenham, Glos, UK

Wolf Pack Samurai [WPS]

R/A

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanhir Mitharis
so what your saying is do, this once only to update then remove the -image command
actually, i have the image icon in my start up, incase theres an update whilst my machines off and it updates when i log in to windows if there has been an update